Butterflies in Vintage Art

[Image source: magazineart.org]

Of all the insects in the world, butterflies are quite possibly the most beautiful and the most fascinating. Given our love of butterflies, their bright colors, and their graceful motions, it's no wonder they have fluttered their way into many artistic depictions over the years. Today, we will be exploring these depictions on a variety of graphic arts, including magazine covers and book illustrations.

[Image source: magazineart.org]

The magazine cover above shows one of the more common associations we have with butterflies. Namely, that the sight of them is an everyday occurrence in rural areas. While magazines like these depict butterflies because of their ubiquity in rural settings, what's interesting here is that the uncommon beauty of the butterflies is what sells the magazine, and perhaps also the whole idea of living in the country.

But whether one lives in the country (or aspires to) or not, magazines devoted to everyday living also give butterflies the spotlight because of their sheer beauty. It's important to note that, like flowers, butterflies have a more feminine beauty to them, which is why you'll find more of them on covers of magazines geared towards women. The Woman's Home Companion (below) is one such magazine.

[Image source: magazineart.org]

On the other hand, the masculine appeal for butterflies is not so much as a thing of beauty, but more as an object to be studied and categorized. The mid-19th century scientific illustration below is an example of one such depiction.

[Image source: The New York Public Library]

Butterflies can also be represented more frequently in depictions of other cultures, particularly Asian cultures such as in Japan. Asian aesthetic was brought to the western world with the importation of silks and Asian art in the late 19th century, and with each coming decade, as communication between the western and eastern worlds gained more of a foothold, fascination with Asia and its people and culture became that much more ingrained in the collective mind of Western society. The below magazine cover is for a magazine that appealed to this fascination. The butterfly adds a nice touch, and it further cements the concept of Asian aesthetics as exotic and delicate.

[Image source: magazineart.org]

[Image source: The Lester S. Levy Sheet Music Collection]

Although not strictly a part of Asia, Hawaii has a similar aesthetic, and the delicate beauty of butterflies fits well. The above sheet music cover is an example of this.

[Image source: magazineart.org]

[Image source: magazineart.org]

The two magazine covers shown above are more subtle depictions of butterflies as decorative elements. As in the Asia magazine cover, they add a special something to graphic art while not serving a more prominent purpose.

Last but not least, the graceful beauty of butterflies also lends itself well to poetic and tonal uses, as in songs and music. The next few depictions are sheet music covers for songs and pieces of music about butterflies. 

[Image source: The Lester S. Levy Sheet Music Collection]

[Image source: The Lester S. Levy Sheet Music Collection]

[Image source: The Lester S. Levy Sheet Music Collection]

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Picturing Songs of New York: America's Most Famous City as Shown on Sheet Music Covers

 

[Image source: The Lester S. Levy Sheet Music Collection at Johns Hopkins University]

Of all the cities in the United States, possibly none are more celebrated than New York. With its tall skyscrapers, its iconic landmarks, and its rich history, it is no wonder that it's America's most visited city.

And it also shouldn't come as a big surprise that New York has been made the subject of countless songs, stories and works of art. This blog article will explore the songs and the art, more specifically sheet music cover art that depicts this majestic city. We will present the covers in chronological order, while touching on some tidbits of the city's history in the process.

[Image source: The Lester S. Levy Sheet Music Collection at Johns Hopkins University]

The cover above, which was published in 1831, shows New York in its infancy, just a few decades after the United States won its independence from Britain. As you can see, the city is still not much more than farmland, and not anywhere near as bustling with activity and grandeur as it would later be. In fact, New York didn't really start to resemble a city until the mid 19th century. (For more on the way New York used to look in its early stages, check out this collection of old photographs.)

[Image source: The Lester S. Levy Sheet Music Collection at Johns Hopkins University]

This next one was published four years later, in 1835, and although the city still had a long ways yet to be developed into the metropolis we know it as today, it shows one of its most famous streets. As we can see here, Broadway was, even at this time, one of New York's busier thoroughfares. 

The next cover shows one of New York's shortest lived monumental landmarks. Built in 1853, it was inspired by London's Great Exhibition, which was built two years prior. It was intended as a celebration of New York's industry and culture, and even the building itself was greatly admired, as it would be immortalized in art, music, graphics, and much more. The cover below is one of many such depictions. Sadly, the Crystal Palace would burn to the ground in 1858, in spite of much well-publicized hype around it being fireproof. [Source: The New York Times]

[Image source: The Lester S. Levy Sheet Music Collection at Johns Hopkins University]

The next few covers show New York at the turn of the 20th century. By this time, New York was finally shaping itself into the city we know it as today, (mostly because of such landmarks as the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and the Flatiron Building, which were being built in the late 1800s and early 1900s.)

 [Image source: The Lester S. Levy Sheet Music Collection at Johns Hopkins University]

 [Image source: The Lester S. Levy Sheet Music Collection at Johns Hopkins University]

 [Image source: The Lester S. Levy Sheet Music Collection at Johns Hopkins University]

 [Image source: The Lester S. Levy Sheet Music Collection at Johns Hopkins University]

[Image source: The Lester S. Levy Sheet Music Collection at Johns Hopkins University]

[Image source: The Lester S. Levy Sheet Music Collection at Johns Hopkins University]

[Image source: The Lester S. Levy Sheet Music Collection at Johns Hopkins University]

Broadway has had theatrical associations for much of its history, starting with the opening of Thomas Kean and Walter Murray's theater company in 1750, and Broadway musicals are a well-established institution. The next three covers are for (now obscure) Broadway plays that were set in New York. (For more information on Broadway theater, check out this article.)

 [Image source: The Lester S. Levy Sheet Music Collection at Johns Hopkins University]

 [Image source: The Lester S. Levy Sheet Music Collection at Johns Hopkins University]

[Image source: The Lester S. Levy Sheet Music Collection at Johns Hopkins University]

In 1917, America entered WWI, two years after the German torpedoing of the Cunard liner Lusitania, which claimed 128 American lives. The next few covers, arranged in chronological order, depict America's involvement in this global conflict.

[Image source: The Lester S. Levy Sheet Music Collection at Johns Hopkins University]

[Image source: The Lester S. Levy Sheet Music Collection at Johns Hopkins University]

 [Image source: The Lester S. Levy Sheet Music Collection at Johns Hopkins University]

As an aside, the next cover was published after the end of the war, and a brief look at the lyrics reveals that the song is about the returning American soldiers' disappointment upon discovering that Prohibition was enacted. (The 18th Amendment, which prohibited the import and sale of "intoxicating liquors" into the United States, was ratified on January 16, 1919. Furthermore, a brief look at this article reveals that many American troops returned after Prohibition began, even though WWI ended on November 11, 1918.) The following is a brief sample of the lyrics:

"America never took water,

So why should she take it now?

England gave us Ale and Porter

To drink their wine the French have taught us how.

Of water in the trenches, we surely had our fill,

So we can't understand why you should hand it to us still.

For America never took water

And America never will."

 [Image source: The Lester S. Levy Sheet Music Collection at Johns Hopkins University]

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The Art of Gilbert and Sullivan

Even over one-hundred years after the wild success of the Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, they are still performed publicly for new generations, holding tenaciously onto that special place in our hearts. With their catchy melodies, clever plots, and enchanting imagery, what were originally intended as social satire have by his time become great entertainment, and always great fun.

But of all there is to love about a good Gilbert and Sullivan opera, the artistic legacy that they have left behind is what's most interesting, at least to us. This is why today we are going to show you some of the finest art relating to the operas of Gilbert and Sullivan.

But no such article is really complete without first briefly discussing the dynamic duo itself. Librettist William Schwenck Gilbert (1836-1911) and composer Arthur Sullivan (1842-1900) paired up in 1871 to collaborate on Thespis, a Christmas production hosted by John Hollingshead at the Gaiety Theatre. After this collaboration, which was mildly successful, they went on to produce Trial by Jury (1875), The Sorcerer (1877), H. M. S. Pinafore (1878), Pirates of Penzance (1879), Patience (1881), Lolanthe (1882), and Princess Ida (1884).

At this time, as dramatized in the 1999 British musical drama film, Topsy Turvy, the pair were beginning to have disagreements, and worse yet, reviews of their operas indicated staleness and lack of innovation. It was just the same ol' stuff over and over, but just packaged differently. Gilbert wrote a libretto about a magic lozenge, but Sullivan wasn't sold on the idea. According to him, it was artificial, lacking a human dynamic, and, to top it all off, it was way too much like The Sorcerer. Eventually, Gilbert dropped that idea, and the duo went on to create their most successful, and arguably their most enduringly popular, opera yet. The Mikado (1885), a social satire thinly disguised by a Japanese setting and characters, was well-timed, as trade was beginning to open between England and Japan, so Japanese art and styles were immensely popular. Gilbert, however, said of the choice of setting, "I cannot give you a good reason for our... piece being laid in Japan. It... afforded scope for picturesque treatment, scenery and costume, and I think that the idea of a chief magistrate, who is... judge and actual executioner in one, and yet would not hurt a worm, may perhaps please the public." No matter what may be said about the opera itself, it was undeniably a huge commercial success, running for a total of 672 performances at the Savoy Theatre, which surpassed H. M. S. Pinafore by 101 performances, and also surpassed Patience by 96 performances. It was, at that time, one of longest runs of any theater performance, and it was Gilbert and Sullivan's longest running hit.

Because they had differences in style and vision, their relationship was fraught with disagreement and conflict, and it finally dissolved after the performance of their last two operas, Utopia, Limited (1893), and The Grand Duke (1896), (the latter of which was one big flop.) [Source: Wikipedia]

And now for the art...

Promotional poster for H. M. S. Pinafore (1879) Image source: The Library of Congress

Another poster for H. M. S. Pinafore (1879) Image source: The Library of Congress

And yet another, (1879). This one is a little unusual, and it almost looks like they're using imagery from the play to advertise something else entirely, but we can't say for sure. Image source: The Library of Congress

A promotional poster for Patience (1881) Image source: The Library of Congress

Another poster for Patience (1881). This strongly appears to be part of the same series as the last one we showed you. Image source: The Library of Congress

A WPA poster from 1937, featuring a Cincinnati Federal Theatre production of Pirates of Penzance. Image source: The Library of Congress

A WPA poster from 1936, featuring a Cincinnati Federal Theatre production of The Mikado. Image source: The Library of Congress

Another WPA poster from 1936, featuring a Federal Music production of The Gondoliers. Image source: The Library of Congress

Sheet music for When I Was a Lad, one of the musical numbers from H. M. S. Pinafore. (Date unknown). Image source: The Lester S. Levy Sheet Music Collection at Johns Hopkins University

Patience Quadrille sheet music (date unknown). While there are no direct indications that this relates to the operetta, there is one mention of W. S. Gilbert, which would suggest such a connection. Also note Arthur Sullivan's signature in the lower right-hand corner. Image source: The Lester S. Levy Sheet Music Collection at Johns Hopkins University

The Mikado, XLCR Edition (date unknown). Image source: The Lester S. Levy Sheet Music Collection at Johns Hopkins University

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Bookplates and the People who Owned Them

Image source: The New York Public Library

Bookplates are still among those curiosities that are highly sought after by collectors, and as items of visual art, they are in a class all their own. One of the main reasons people enjoy collecting bookplates is that they were often owned by prominent historical figures, which can add considerable value. [Source: Wikipedia] Bookplates were first used by monks in 16th century Europe, and they would later be used in America in the 1600s, when some of the first colonies were established. At this time, books were very valuable because they were not as widely available as they are today, so their (wealthy) owners inserted bookplates to identify themselves as such. This made them less likely to get lost, but it also added an element of prestige and vanity, considering the highly personalized nature of the artwork. [Source: The Art of Manliness] In this entry, we will not only show you some of the best bookplates we could find, but we will also discuss some of the famous people who had their names affixed to these beautiful and elegant works of graphic art.

Image source: The New York Public Library

Since today happens to be the birthday of Rockwell Kent, one of the most well-known bookplate artists, we'll do him the special honor of showcasing a few of his bookplates first. This one was commissioned by John Hay Whitney (1904-1982), who was the U. S. Ambassador to the U. K., publisher of The New York Herald Tribune, and president of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

Whitney's appreciation for art isn't just limited to bookplates. He also had an impressive art collection, which included such artists as Degas, Pissarro, Monet, Toulouse-Lautrec, and many others. [Source: Wikipedia]

Rockwell Kent (1882-1971) was a well-known American illustrator, artist, and printmaker, possibly best known for Moby Dick (1930), Candide (1928), and The Seven Ages of Man (1918). Although he did other things besides, his real claim to fame was as a book illustrator, as evidenced by his obituary in the New York Times, which described him as having made an "imperishable contribution to the art of bookmaking in the United States." [Source: Wikipedia]

Image source: The New York Public Library

This bookplate, also by Rockwell Kent, was commissioned by Margaret Sanger (1879-1966), an American birth control activist, sex educator, author, and nurse. She founded The American Birth Control League in 1921, which would later become Planned Parenthood. She would later serve as president of Planned Parenthood between 1952 and 1959.

I had a careful look at the handwriting on this bookplate, comparing it against handwritten letters by Margaret Sanger, and although I personally can't say for sure whether or not this is actually her handwriting, it looks like it very well might be. What do you think?

Image source: Ordinary Philosophy

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

This next bookplate was designed for American designer William A. Kittredge (1891-1945). He was Director of Design and Typography for Lakeside Press between 1922 and 1945, where he oversaw the design of books that were published by the company, including Rockwell Kent's 1930 edition of Moby Dick. [Source: Wikipedia]

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

For the rest of us, we have to commission bookplates if we want them, but one of the advantages of being an illustrator is that you get to design your own bookplate. Here's one that was designed by American poster and magazine illustrator Edward Penfield (1866-1925). He was very popular as a poster artist, having elevated poster art to a respected art form in America, in much the same way as Alphonse Mucha, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, and other such artists would accomplish in France. [Source: Wikipedia]
 
Penfield is one of our personal favorites, and we are very pleased to announce that we have plans to make some of his artwork available for purchase in our upcoming online store.

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

Another great example of an artist designing his own bookplate is this one by Dutch political cartoonist and poster artist Albert Hahn (1877-1918). He was known for his socialist and anti-war sentiment, and he contributed regularly to such political publications as De Notenkraker and socialist periodical Het Volk. After the outbreak of WWI, nearly everything he published heavily criticized the war's needless death and waste. [Source: Wikipedia]

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

This bookplate is very interesting for its level of detail, as well as what that detail represents. It belonged to Edgar Rice Burroughs (1875-1950), who is best known as the author of Tarzan of the Apes. Here, we see Tarzan holding up the planet Mars, while surrounded by other characters from Burroughs' books, as well as various symbols depicting his personal interests and career. How much of a Burroughs fan are you? Can you identify all the symbols? [Source: Wikipedia]

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

This bookplate is interesting for its artwork, and although we couldn't find any information on Tina von Pflügl, we couldn't resist mentioning the artist. Maximilian Liebenwein (1869-1926) was an Austrian-German illustrator, painter, and graphic artist. He was heavily involved with the Vienna Secession (not a political movement, but rather, an artistic movement. It was a group of artists who broke apart from the Association of Austrian Artists.) [Source: Wikipedia] The inscription at the top roughly translates as "children and fools tell the truth."

Thanks for reading our blog entry about the art of bookplates. Do you personalize your books? What interesting bookplate art have you come across? Let us know in the comments.

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